Report: Suicidal man holds police at bay for hours

Oak Ridge police officers stood by for nearly five hours outside a home in the Woodland neighborhood before a man who was threatening suicide came outside and surrendered.

by Beverly Majors/Staff

Oak Ridge police officers stood by for nearly five hours outside a home in the Woodland neighborhood before a man who was threatening suicide came outside and surrendered.

A Police Department news release said officers were sent to a home on Pratt Lane about 11:25 p.m. Monday after someone reported the resident there was armed with an AK-47 assault rifle and had threatened to commit suicide. The release said the man had sent a text to his wife of his intentions.

When officers arrived, they “established a perimeter around the residence” and tried to make contact with the 25-year-old resident.

After numerous unsuccessful attempts to make contact with him, the Police Department’s Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) “was activated and responded to the scene,” according to the release.

SWAT team members evacuated residents from nearby houses.

Officers continued to attempt to call the resident on the phone and when efforts failed, a Police Department negotiator talked to him using a public address system. A few minutes after 4 a.m. Tuesday, the resident came outside and was taken into police custody, the release said.

Officers went inside and recovered an AK-47 rifle and two loaded magazines. The resident was taken to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge where he was evaluated in the emergency room. No charges are expected to be filed in this incident.